And came even before the king's gate: for none might enter
into the king's gate clothed with sackcloth

004:002

And in every province, whithersoever the king's commandment
and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews,
and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in
sackcloth and ashes

004:003

So Esther's maids and her chamberlains came and told it her.
Then was the queen exceedingly grieved; and she sent raiment
to clothe Mordecai, and to take away his sackcloth from him:
but he received it not

004:004

Then called Esther for Hatach, one of the king's chamberlains,
whom he had appointed to attend upon her, and gave him a
commandment to Mordecai, to know what it was, and why it was

004:005

So Hatach went forth to Mordecai unto the street of the city,
which was before the king's gate

004:006

And Mordecai told him of all that had happened unto him, and
of the sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the
king's treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them

004:007

Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that
was given at Shushan to destroy them, to shew it unto Esther,
and to declare it unto her, and to charge her that she should
go in unto the king, to make supplication unto him, and to
make request before him for her people

004:008

And Hatach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai

004:009

Again Esther spake unto Hatach, and gave him commandment unto
Mordecai

004:010

All the king's servants, and the people of the king's
provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or women,
shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not
called, there is one law of his to put him to death, except
such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that
he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the
king these thirty days

004:011

And they told to Mordecai Esther's words

004:012

Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with
thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than
all the Jews

004:013

For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then
shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from
another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be
destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the
kingdom for such a time as this

004:014

Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer

004:015

Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan,
and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days,
night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so
will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law:
and if I perish, I perish

004:016

So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther
had commanded him